Football Poets

Fine dreams of Heaven (A Liverpool Child)

¶ 1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 The dreaming of peace that is heaven
An elegant pause in the light
A bright shining star in the silence
That burns in the dead of the night
A voice then but quietly whispers
And comforts my doubts and my fears
Takes me back down the old road to childhood
And wipes away all the sadness and tears

¶ 2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 He tells of the heroes of Anfield
And I listen and never grow bored
From the deeds of Elisha to Lindsey
From Liddell and Cormack and Hall
Great Reds who once brought us the glory
Their times paved with legends of yore
And the beautiful football they gave us
Just left us all begging for more

¶ 3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 The guide holds my hand gives me strength
But the face in the shadows unseen
Yet this stranger I know I can trust
And my father then waves back to me
There’s Bob in his cardie and slippers
Chatting footy with young Bobby Moore
Whilst Joe Fagan nips out for a ciggie
Carrying cup number 4

¶ 4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 There’s a form taking shape in the distance
And my heart beats a hundred to one
And I yearn just to speak to my hero
But the words that I want they won’t come
And I trip up on my tongue that’s in knots
As words fall to the stones of the street
He says “There’s a place in the town of your dreaming
Where those of the one true faith meet”

¶ 5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 Then the skies fused with almighty thunder
And from lightning the truth did reveal
A bright burning vision before me
“Christ this cannot be real!”
Heaven is not in the silence of mortar
Or caught in the lustre of gold
It is cannot be found in the greed
That burdens the world-weary soul

¶ 6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 Heaven is not in the wounds from a sword
Does not rise from the smoke of the gun
It is not in the chains of our ignorance
That binds up the rights of each man
It does not hide in the mists of the clouds
Or slip like a fist in a glove
It’s borne on the lips of the truth
Speaking those sweet words of love

¶ 7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 It does not twist the wisdom of reason
Nor harbour revenge in its prayer
But speaks out for freedom and justice
And its gifts always eager to share
It was there in the fishes and loaves
It was there in the water and wine
It was there on the cruel cross of Calvary
It is changeless and constant as time

¶ 8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 It is brave and will always be patient
It will bend but it never will break
It’s a lamp that shines out in the darkness
Never tiring of showing the way
From the hope of the Mathew Street pilgrims
Guides us all down to Strawberry Fields
Slips through a Cracke in the page of our history
That on the list is our #9 dream

¶ 9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 James Cagney calls Bogart across
“Do you know anyone tougher than me?”
Bogart smiles, points to Shankly and says:
“That guy’s the toughest there’s been!”
For heaven is borne of the truth
And it breathes with a passion not stone
Amazes with grace and forgiveness
Its altar? Our Liverpool home.

24